Type locking mechanism



Aug. 19, 1952 c. PADILLA ETAL 2,607,597

TYPE LOCKING MECHANISM Filed May 17, 1951 2 SPEETS-SHEET 1 INVEAfioRS. (Em/o5 Paaz% BY 67a 22 Mayer ATTORNEY C. PADlLLA ETAL TYPE LOCKING MECHANISM Aug. 19, 1952 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed May l7, 1951 INVENTORS.

. (Zzrfias Pad/Z4: Y tickle Mayer ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENroFFIc J a I TYPE rooiifl zfizrcnzamsm I Q Hacken'sack, N. J., assignors to Thriftimatic Corp ration, New York, N. Y., a corporation If New York Application May 17, 1951, Serial No. 226,911

This invention relates to a type locking mechanism, more specifically to a mechanism suitable for centering and locking movable type in a holder intended for use in check imprinting machines and the like.

Many banking houses supply depositors or check service customers with blank checks personalized by having the individuals name imprinted thereon. Printing machines have been developed to permit banks to perform this imprinting with the banks own personnel and on its own premises. The practice is to imprint individual checks and then to bind or staple them in check book form.

Each lotof checks, of course, requires that type be mounted in the machine according to the name to be imprinted, and the expedition with which this can be done largely determines the value of the -imprinting machine. To facilitate the task a holde'ig'separate from a check imprinter, but mountable therein, has been in use in which movable type may be placed. This still involves a substantial number of separate type setting and imprinting jobs, most of which must be repeated from time to time as additional check books are required.

quad, at each end of the line of type, to the sides of the holder. Such holder with its contained, locked-in 'place line of type may, after use, be filed away for subsequent reuse in a printing machine when repeat orders are received. A holder of this character is described in co-pending application Serial No. 208,147, filed January 27, 1951.

This invention involves a mechani'sin whereby such movable type may, after being inserted in proper order in such a holder, be mechanically centered and locked therein.

The object of this invention is to quickly and mechanically perform the foregoing operations of centering and locking.

A further object is to provide a neat, compact, reliable mechanism that may be safely and efficiently operated by unskilled labor.

In the drawings in which the samenumber refers to the same or a similar part:

Figure 1 is a top view of the-mechanism without its case;

Figure 2 is a side view Figure 1; I

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

of i the mechanism of 5 Claims. (Cl. 276- 1) Figure 4 is a fragmentary top view of the mechanism showing a" type holder with contained type at the instant of locking;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a top view of the fully encased mechanism.

Frame l which supports the moving and other parts, consists essentially of base plate 2, top plate 3 and posts 4. Longitudinal slots 5 in top plate 3, shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, accommodate vertical movable arms 20 and 2| at their upper ends and permit them to be reciprocated therein.

Carried by and at the upper ends of arms 20 and 21, as best shown in Figure 3, are opposing jaws 8, slideable on top plate 3, between guides 6. Jaws 8 straddle, in slots 9, abutment walls 33 and the ends of rail l which is fixed atop of and in the center of top plate 3. Referring to Figure 4 it may be seen that rail 1 provides support for type holder 34 (containing type quads 35), between the two pairs of abutment walls 36. Without type holder 34m place, jaws 8 may freely approach each other being guided in a straight path by guides 6 and rail 1. With type holder 34 in place, jaws 8 may likewise freely approach each other but only if the holder be empty of type quads. .This is so because, bridging slot 9 near the forward end of jaw 8 is cross piece 32 from which depends finger 33. Finger 33 may freely pass through the open portion of type holder 34 until it meets the end quad of a line of type. It is the means by which the movable type is pushed towards the center of the type holder. Cover plate 21, as shown inFigure 1, is provided for each jaw.

Set into holes I!) which pass through each side of each of the jaws 8 to slots 9, are points ll carried at the inward ends of plungers l2. Plungers l2 exterior of the sides of jaws 8 are surrounded by coil springs 13 which cause points II to normally be in retracted position clear of slots 9. While plungers l2 bear against bars [4 they are not under such pressure as to prevent plungers I2 from sliding on the surface of bars I4 when moving, opposing jaws 8 carry them along. I p

Jaws B are actuated by handle 26 which has an arc of movement that permits reciprocating motion to be imparted through axle '24, wheel 40, pinion 23 and rack gears 22, as best seen in Figures 2 and 3.- Pinion 23 is freely rotatable on axle 24 but is secured therete-i through wedge carrying wheel 40 by" aconventional type ball clutch, connecting pinion 23 and wheel 43. Axle 24 is carried in journals 25. Motion of the rack gears is transmitted through arms and 2| to make the movement of jaws 8 uniform in either direction. 7 I

Bars M. are free to slide toward each other over the surface of top plate 3, being loosely engaged with top plate 3 by bracket 38 and slot 33. Bars I4 lie between a pair of plungers I2 bearing against their inner sides and clamps 15 against which they bear on their outer sides. Each clamp I5 is of one piece pivotable on axle I3 carried in journals [1. As seen best in Figure 5 the two clamps abut at their lower, inwardly curved ends under the compulsion of springs I3. To hold these lower ends a fixed minimum distance from the under surface of top plate 3, and to insure their restoration to such position, a spacing bolt is is threaded into the lower part of each clamp l5 and bears at its upper end against top plate3. A pair of set screws [8 in the upper end of each branch of clamp [5 provide means for adjusting the position of each' bar I4 and maintaining -points H in proper relationship to the sides of slot 9.

To separate the abutting lower ends of clamps I5, wedge 3| is provided. Wedge 3! is carried on arm A! which extends outward from wheel 40 so that as axle 24 rotates, it is brought between the lower ends of clamps l5, separating them and causing them to pivot on axles l6 against the resistance of springs 13. Flat shoulder 42 at the end of arm (5| and beneath wedge 3| will, upon striking wedge stop 3?, stop the forward motion of handle 26.

Case 28 is provided for the device to entirely enclose the mechanism except for an opening 29 in the top of the'case with a sliding cover plate 30 which may be opened to permit the insertion and removal of type holder 34.

lhe mechanism is used, and performs as follows:

. After type holder with loosely, contained type quads 35 is placed atop-rail 1 betweenabutmerit walls 33 and fully opened jaws 8, handle 25 is moved upward and forward bringing jaws 8 toward each other. Fingers 33 move type quads 35 toward the center of type holder 34. When the type quads are end to end and resist further movement of jaws 8, jaw movement stops and clamps l5 come into play. This occurs when pinion 2-3 having met substantial resistance slips out of its ball clutch connection with wheel and its motion is arrested; Handle, 26, however,

continues to rotate axle 24 carrying with it wheel 5B and wedge 3|. The wedgeseparates the lower ends of clamps i5 and causes them to pivot on axles 13, moving bars l4,plungers l2 and points i I inward causing points I l to indent the sides of type holder 34 sufficiently to lock the end quads in place.

Sincefinger33 and points I l are in fixed space relation to each other the indentations will always bemade alongside the end quad. Since fingers 33 approach each other at a uniform rate of movement from starting points an equal distancefrom the ends of type holder 34, they will center the line of type before it is locked in place. It is obvious that many modifications may be made in the described mechanism without departing from the scope of the invention, and therefore we do not by this description intend to limit or otherwiseimpair its scope.

' What we claimis; I j

1; A typelocking mechanism for centering and locking movable type in a longitudinal, channel shaped type holder, comprising a stationary frame; provision on such frame for accommodating a type holder; a pair of opposing jaws mounted'to reciprocate on such frame astride the space provided for a type holder; a finger rigidly depending-from the top of each jaw rearward of its face into the center ofthe space provided for a type holder; a pair of movable points housed in each jaw between the face thereof and the depending finger, opposite each other across the space provided for a type holder, and transverse thereto; clamping members adapted toclose on and move said points inward of said space, in any position of the jaws; jaw closing means disconnectable from the jaws when closing movement is resisted by an obstruction between the said fingers; and means for closing the clamping members after the closing movement of the jaws has ceased.

2. A type locking mechanism for centeringand locking movable type in a longitudinal, channel shaped type holder, comprising a stationary frame; a rail on said frame arranged tolongitudi nally support a type holder, thereon; a pair of opposing jaws mounted to reciprocate on such frame astride the rail and the space provided for the type holder; a finger rigidly depending from the top of each jaw rearward of its face, and into the center of the space provided for the type holder; a pair. of movable points opposite each other across the space provided for the type holder, housed transverse thereto in each jaw; clamping members adapted to close on and move said points together irrespective of the position of the jaws; jaw closing means disconnectable from the jaws when closing movement is resisted by an obstruction between the said fingers; and means for closing the clamping members after the closing movement of the jaws has ceased.

3. A type locking mechanism for centering and locking movable type in a longitudinal, channel shaped type holder, comprising a stationary frame; a rail on said frame arranged to longitudinally support a type holder in a fixed position; a pair of opposing jaws mounted .to reciprocate on such frame astride and with vertical clearance of said rail; a finger rigidly depending from each jaw rearward of its face, and above and in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the rail; 2. pair of spring restrained opposing points housed within in each jaw betweenthe face thereof and the depending finger, transverse to and higher than the rail; clamping members adapted to close on and press inward the said points in any position of the jaws; jaw closing means disconnectable from the jaws when closing movement of the fingers is resisted by aniobstruction between them; and means for closing the clamping members. after. the closing movement of the jaws has ceased. 4. A type locking mechanism for centering and locking movable type in a longitudinal, channel shaped type holder, comprising a stationary.

frame; a rail on said frame. arranged to, longitudinally support a type holder in fixed po-, sition thereon; a pair of opposing jaws mounted to reciprocate on such frame, a slot parallel with the line of jaw motion, opening out at one end in the face of each jaw, adapted to accommodate the said rail and a type holder supported thereon; a rigid finger, depending-from each jaw in the center of each slot rearward of the -;face of each jaw; a hole through each jaw transverse such slot, located between the face of the--jaw and the depending finger; plungers pointed at their slot ends, housed in the holes on each side of the slot; springs to restrain the pointed ends from entering the slots; clamping members adapted to close on and press such plungers uniformly inward of the slots irrespective of the position of the jaws; a handle operably connected with jaw closing means through a ball clutch and with clamp closing means comprising a rotatable |wedge adapted to close the clamping members.

5. A type locking mechanism for centering and locking movable type in a longitudinal, channel shaped type holder; comprising a stationary frame; a rail on said frame arranged to longitudinally support a type-holder in fixed position thereon; a pair of opposing jaws mounted to reciprocate on such frame astride the rail; a slot in each jaw opening at one end in the face thereof, adapted to accommodate the said rail and a type holder supported thereon; a

rigid finger depending from the top of each jaw in the center of each slot just rearward of the face of each jaw; a hole through each jaw transverse such slot and'located between the face of the jaw and the depending finger; a plunger seated each side of the slot in such hole, with a pointed end at the slot end and a headed end exterior of the jaw; a spring interposed between the jaw and the headed end of each plunger to restrain the pointed end from entering the slot; a movable bar lying parallel with the said rail on each side thereof in slidable contact with the adjacent pair of plunger heads; a pair of clamping members pivoted on the stationary frame,

their upper ends being in closing engagement with the said bars, their lower ends curving toward each other in abutting engagement; a handle operably connected with jaw closing means through a ball clutch and operably connected through an axle and a rotatable arm with a wedge carried at the end of such arm, the path of the wedge lying in the plane of abutment of the lower ends of the clamping members, the wedge being positioned with respect to the jaw closing means to contact such lower ends of the clamping members only after the handle has passed that point on its arc of movement at which the jaws faces could come into contact vwith each other.

CARLOS PADILLA.

JOI-IN MAYER.

No references cited. 

